Phoenix of Chaos
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MisplacedThis is based on my sprite comic of the same name, but the hero is considerably smarter in this version. Feel free to comment!
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It's been a little over three months since Rayquaza stopped the meteor. I've come to accept the fact I'm stuck here, in a body that isn't my own. I even managed to make more friends than Vaporeon, Leafeon and Espeon. Heck, I've befriended every one of my evolutions. That's right: I'm an Eevee. And I'm proud of it.
Maybe I should tell you more about the others. Vaporeon is the undisputed team leader. Smart, calm and with so much health it's ridiculous. Then there's Jolteon, fast as anything and just as easy to anger. Flareon, strong as a Tauros and with a similar wit. Espeon and Umbreon, the opposites that attracted. Leafeon, barely touchable through her bark-like skin. Finally, Glaceon, the strongest with non-physical moves. And then there's me. The only way I excel is in the way I don't excel. Still, I'm capable of more than a Magikarp, and the rest consider me an equal. Still, if there's anyone I have to hate, it's Team Aura. Yes, that is Lucario's team, but don't think they're perfect. Because of their reputation, they consider everybody - and I mean everybody - below them. Lucario, being the only evolved pokémon in his team, is much worse than his... underlings. Thankfully, we haven't seen him for about a fortnight.
That's the background dealt with. The event I'm about to recall started a while back. The day had just begun, and I was stood outside our team base, taking in the weather. Bright, but not unbearably so. I was still a little tired, so I turned to head back inside when who should appear but Flareon.
"Eevee!" he yelled, voice drilling into my skull like a Rhydon. "You need to check this out!" I sighed.
"What is it now, Flareon?"
"That's the whole point! Not even Vaporeon knows."
"Say what?" Anything Vaporeon didn't know about had to be of interest. Flareon walked off, so I literally bounded after him.
In the town square, we saw the others gathered around this... black hole. Not in the "suck everything up" way but in the "absorb all light" way.
"So what is this thing?" I asked.
"That's what we're trying to find out," Vaporeon replied. "Espeon's having a look now." I looked over to the Psychic in question. She was sat perfectly still, tail in the air. Umbreon was pacing around her protectively.
"So, what is she doing?"
"Using her namesake, E.S.P, she's trying to see what's on the other side."
"That won't work," a voice said behind me. "There's only one way to find out, and that's to go find out for yourself!" that being said, Lucario shouted something, I didn't catch what, and six Riolus pushed almost all of us into the portal.
"Espeon!" Umbreon yelled, but it was far too late to help her. I said nearly all of us because they missed Umbreon, hitting Espeon instead. I could see Umbreon stare down at us, frozen in place out of shock. Lucario and the others were already walking off, as if nothing had happened. Then... shoop! The portal closed, leaving us falling from darkness, into darkness.
"Whatever happens," Vaporeon yelled, "Try to stay together."
"You're acting like you've done this before!" I replied, narrowly missing Glaceon. She'd instinctively frozen her fur into quills, but I doubted they'd be any use here. Unfortunately, while dodging Glaceon, I hit my head on Leafeon's hide, and was out like a light.
I woke up... somewhere. I tried to sit up, and my head pounded like a thousand Geodudes had had a disco in it. Nonetheless, I staggered into an upright position... wait. Something was wrong. For one thing, my point of view was much higher than it usually was, and for another the others had vanished. I quickly solved the first, although how it had happened I don't know.
I was human again.
I saw some red-and-white balls, about the size of an orange. I counted them; six in total. And six friends who fell in the portal... I quickly put two and two together. The first two said I was in the other pokémon world, and the second two said that I was the Trainer and my friends were in those pokéballs.
It took about ten seconds for me to let them out. They stared at me, worried. I could understand why; to them, I was their master.
"Guys, it's me! It's Eevee!"
"Prove it." Espeon said. At least I could still understand them.
"We fell through a portal, and I hit my head on Leafeon."
"That much is true," Leafeon said. "It's still sore from where he hit."
"I'm not convinced," Jolteon said, loosing a few sparks. "He could have heard it from Eevee."
"But how would he know what Eevee said?" Vaporeon asked. "From what I've heard, humans can't understand our language."
"Enough. It is him." Espeon said, eyes losing a glow nobody realised they had. I felt a tendril of... something pull back from my mind. She had been inside my head again! Nonetheless, Jolteon was convinced, as was everyone else.
"So now we're together again, what should we do?" Flareon asked. Nobody had an answer.
Far away, a small green thing watched the party with interest.
"My, my, my." it muttered to itself. "I never expected to be able to catch myself seven of them! And one was a human, no less! Maybe I should help them..." it paused to think. "Nah!" it said cheekily, and vanished.
"Well, if we're where I think we are, we should try to see what region we're in."
"Wait, region?"
"Yeah. If I'm right, we could be in Kanto, Johto, Hoeen or Sinnoh."
"I think we're in Sinnoh." Vaporeon said, much to everybody's surprise.
"What makes you say that?"
"Nothing. I just think that's how it is."
"That can't be it," Espeon said. "I'm the only psychic among us, and I couldn't tell that," she then used her powers to pick him up! "Tell us, or I won't release you." Everyone else growled, but Vaporeon sighed.
"Fine, I'll tell you."
"I was born in the Kanto region, but the family I was with moved into Sinnoh. Half a year later, the boy of the family reached ten years old, the legal age requirement to start a pokémon journey. He chose me as his starter pokémon, and I was thrilled. But he expected too much of me, and refused to back down from any fight. Eventually, it had gotten to the point that I feared the Trainer more than I feared the opponent. And so I ran away. But I didn't get very far before falling into the river on Route 208. I somehow swam to shore, where a different Trainer saw me. She took pity on me, and revealed a Waterstone. I took it without haste, and became as I am."
"But that doesn't explain how you made it to our world," Espeon pointed out. "Or why we're in this one."
"Quite right. I have but one explanation; Celebi."
"Celebi?" I asked. "You mean the grass and psychic?" Espeon and Leafeon looked at each other.
"Indeed. She and Arceus are the only two pokémon I know of that host interdimensional abilities, and Arceus is not one to act on a whim. Therefore, I believe it was she who sent me there, and she who brought us here."
"And it's she who can send us back."
"Exactly."
"Knowing Celebi, she's likely to be in an old forest."
"How old?"
"Half a millenium, or five hundred years. Unfortunately, there isn't one in this region, so we need to head to Johto."
"What about Eterna Forest?"
"That's only two hundred and fifty years old, but it's worth a shot." Without hesitation, Vaporeon lead the way. Unfortunately, a harsh truth struck quickly.
"Which route are we on?"
All attempts of finding a sign failed, so they went by logic.
"There's a lot of marshy ground around, so we must be near Pastoria City."
"That means-" Leafeon said. The others looked at her, expectantly. She grinned a Mareepish grin. "Sorry, lost it."
"Got it!" I yelled. "I think we're on Route 215."
"That's not good," Vaporeon said. "That means we're roughly the exact opposite side of the region to where we need to be."
"Well, standing here isn't going to get us anywhere." Espeon said, and walked onto the marsh. With a slurp and a gasp of surprise, she sunk in. Her attempts to free herself failed, so I instinctively snapped a poké ball from my belt and pointed it at her. Almost immediatly, a red beam of light came out of it and hit Espeon. She joined this red light, which then retreated into the poké ball. I clipped this back onto his belt and took off another.
A short while and a lot of arguements later, they were all on my belt. Saving them was well enough, but how did I get across? Still, I had to try, so I took a step. SLURP! I was up to my neck! Naturally, this made me panic, so I squirmed about. My foot trod on a branch, and I used that leverage to push me back up onto the surface. I took another step, and I sank again, but this time only up to my knees. I sighed; this could take a while.
Thankfully, there was a grassy island nearby. I clambered onto it, and then noticed the Bibarel staring at me. I reached for my belt and threw the first poké ball I could find. Thankfully, it was Jolteon's.
"Thunderbolt!" I yelled. Jolteon gave me one of "those" looks, but obeyed. BOOM! Bibarel went down before he could counterattack. "Nicely done." I said.
"Thanks." he muttered in reply, before I returned him to the poké ball. There was another small patch of the marsh and then, strangely, a tree with yellow leaves.
An unusual smell seemed to fill the air. The only pokémon with me who knew plants was Leafeon, so I bought her out. No words were spoken as she sniffed it, scrabbled at the dirt, even nibbled at the bark.
"This is a special tree," she mused. "Coat it with honey, and rare pokémon may come and get it. if you're lucky."
"That's all?"
"Yep. Hey, I was wondering..."
"About what?"
"Why did you turn into a human and not the rest of us?" I paused to think. It was a good question; despite the fact I was originally human, I'd lost all hope at regaining my bipedal form, but here I was. If I could transform into a pokémon - and back - by travelling into another dimension, why couldn't the others? The answer was quick to arrive. Pokémon were natural in this dimension, as were humans. Whatever entered this dimension - or any dimension, for that matter - took the form of what species they were, and if that species wasn't natural to the dimension, they'd transform until they were. I summarised this to Leafeon, and heard applause above me. We looked up, and saw Celebi.
"Well done, human." she said. "Not many can decipher the secrets behind the dimensions. I'm surprised you got as far as you did, but I'm willing to bet my powers you can't get any further."
"How serious is that bet? Are you willing to take it?" I asked. Celebi's smug gtin faded as she consideredit. Silence bathed us, but was broken by a Kricketune's cry.
"You know something?" she finally said. "I would, but only if..."
"But only if what?"
"If you bet something as valuable to you as my powers are to me." It was my turn to pause and think. What was most valuable to me? My life? No, Celebi wasn't one to take lives. My friends? Likewise, Celebi wouldn't break anyone's heart that willingly. An idea struck me, and I almost regretted betting it away.
"If I lose the bet, you can have my memories. All of them."
"Eevee, no!" Leafeon blurted. The pokéballs on my belt started shaking vigurously. The others evidently agreed with Leafeon. Celebi, however, was rolling around in laughter.
"That's brilliant! I accept your bet! Discover how the dimensions work and I'll grant you my powers, no questions asked. Fail, however, and all your memories belong to me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Being of Intelligence to talk to." Still releasing that shrill laughter, she dissapeared in a cloud of leaves. I looked at Leafeon. Her temper was rivalling Flareon's Fire Blast for sheer heat.
"That was the stupidest thing I've ever seen you do, including that time with the Explosion trap!"
"It had to be done." I said, and before she could argue I revealed her poké ball and banished her to its depths. I admit, even now, that it was foolish of me, but I had a plan. One that involved the very Being of Intelligence that Celebi had mentioned.
It was close to this time that Umbreon woke up. Shortly after the portal had closed, he'd gone after Lucario directly. It was foolish of him; Dark-type pokémon are weak to Fighting-type attacks, and their attacks couldn't leave a mark in Steel-types. Lucario happened to be both types. Nonetheless, he fought.
The fight lasted about half a minute, including pause for Oran Berry.
Umbreon spat out blood, and stared at Lucario.
"Why?" he asked. "Why did you do that?"
"None of- URGH!" Lucario clutched his head, groaning in pain. Umbreon smiled.
"I thank Synchronise," he bluffed. "You can feel my pain." Lucario didn't buy the bluff.
"Help me." he muttered, staring into Umbreon's eyes. One eye was red, the other blue... Umbreon instantly pushed Lucario into the river. He knew, through experience, that unnaturaly coloured eyes were one of a few physical marks of hypnotism, and a surprise was one way to be rid of it. The Riolus, however, didn't know of the hypnosis and edged towards Umbreon. Before they could attack, a blur shot out of the river and knocked them back. It was Lucario!
"Thank you, Umbreon. You've saved me." he said. "Now listen, Riolu! We are to work with Umbreon, and discover how to open that portal!"
Back with myself and the others, I'd rereleased Leafeon.
"Where now?" she asked, still furious about the bet. "We've met Celebi, and made the world's stupidest bet at the same time."
"Celebi mentioned the Being of Intelligence, right?"
"Right... oh!"
"Exactly. If we can ask this Being of Intelligence, he or she can surely help us out! Just... where is she?" Vaporeon's poké ball started twitching, so I let him out.
"Legends of Sinnoh state of three lakes," he said. "Each lake has a cave at its centre, and this cave houses one pokémon. The three beings are those of Emotion, Willpower and, as Celebi mentioned, Intelligence. The only problem is the legends don't say which lake houses which pokémon, so we'll have to check them all until we found hthe one we seek."
"So where's the nearest?"
"The nearest of the three lakes, Lake Valor, is east of here." he turned around to face the way he had come. "It's in that direction."
"How did I guess? I groaned, but stepped back into the marsh.
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